Ironing machine



Nov. 26, 1940. w. 1 WHITE IRONING' MACHINE Filed April 1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Irzverzfor Y Wazzim TW/zizfe' NOV. 26, w wHlTE IRONING MACHINE Filed April 1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' gl fazzmm TW/zzze jfi orizgs.

Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10mm. (OIAHB) The invention relates generally to machines and more particularly to a domestic ironing machine of the cabinet type. r The general object of the invention is to pro- 5 vide a machine having a base and a lid or cover to enclose the mechanism of the machine when not in use, which is so attached to the base that it may be swung first in one direction and then at an angle thereto to a position clear of the mechanism.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a lid or cover for enclosing the ironing mechanism of an ironing machine, which is swingably attached to one end of the ironing machine and 15 may be swung, when the ironing machine is in use, to a position extending forwardly from said end with the cover turned in such a manner that its walls may serve as shelves for articles before or after ironing.

It is also an object to provide an ironing machine of the foregoing character in which the cover may be easily moved to and from its open position, and in which the cover, when in open position, is firmly supported.

A further object is to provide a novelhinge for attaching the cover to the ironing machine proper, which is simple in construction and provides a rigid support for one end of the cover when the latter is open." I

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ironing ma- 2 55 chine embodying the features of the invention and showing the cover in its closed position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the machine showing the cover open.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a hinge for at- 40 taching the cover to the machine proper and showing the parts of the hinge in their open position.

'Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts of the. hinge in their closed position. 45 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of an ironing machine having a modified form of hinge and showing the cover partially open.

6 is a fragmentary end elevation of the machine and hinge shown in Fig. 5.

50 Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the hinge shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and showing the parts thereof in their closed position. y

The present embodiment of the invention com-- prises generally a support in the form of a table i upon which is mountqi ironing mechanism. To

enclose the ironing mechanism when not in use,

a cover or lid of box-like construction is provided, which is carried on the table top. when the machine is in use, the cover, of course, must be removed from the ironing mechanism. At such 5 time, the cover is preferably moved to'a position where thewalls thereof may serve as shelves to receive the articles being ironed. To this end, the present invention contemplates a construction whereby the cover may be moved to a position where it extends forwardly from the table at one end thereof with the sidewalls of the cover turned to a horizontal position to provide shelves.

The cover, to guide it for movement to an from such position, is attached to one end of the table by means of a hinge preferably having. parts pivoted for movement in two directions so that the cover may be moved in two planes, first by lifting it to an upright position and then tipping it forwardly to its final open position. In its open ;'position, the cover is supported at one end by the hinge, while for its other end, a foldable support.

or legs are provided which may be opened to rest on the floor.

As'shown in the drawings, the machine comprises a support or table, indicated generally at Ill, and comprising in the present instance, a pair of upright end members il made of sheet metal formed in any'desired design and adapted to be supported on the floor by means ofcasters l2. The end members ll carry a table top l3 upon which Y is mounted ironing mechanism illustrated as com-- prising an ironing roll ll and an ironing shoe l5 supported by a housing [6 enclosing mechanism 85 for actuating the roll and shoe. Y

The cover, indicated generally at 20, is of boxlike sheet metal construction and comprises a front wall 2|, a rear wall 22, end walls 23, and a top wall 2L The front, rear, and end walls 40 preferably rest on the table top l3 and are shaped to conform to the perimeter thereof.

As mentioned above, when it is desired to use the machine, the cover, may be swung to a position where its walls provide suitable shelves to support articles before orafter ironing. Preferably such position is with the cover extending forwardly from one end of the tableand turned so that its front wall 2| and rear wall 22 are in a horizontal position, as illustrated in Fig. 2. v To this end, a hinge, indicated generally at 25, is provided for securing the cover to the table at one end thereof. In the preferred embodiment, the. hinge 25 is located at the righthand end of the table so that the cover when in I its open position will be at the right side of the operator. The hinge comprises parts pivoted for movement in two directions so that the cover is first lifted to an upright position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and then is tipped forwardly to the final position.

A hinge of a suitable construction is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and comprises an end leaf 30 adapted to be secured to the end face of the table as by rivets or screws extending through the holes 3| provided in the leaf. The hinge also has a second end leaf 32 adapted to be secured to the outer face of the end wall 23 of the cover. Connecting the two end leaves 30 and 32 is an intermediate leaf 33 which is separately pivoted to the two end leaves on axes perpendicular to each other so that relative movement between the end leaves may take place in different planes. Thus, the cover may first be raised to the upright'position by swinging it on the pivotal connection between the end leaf 30 and the intermediate leaf 33, and then be tipped forwardly to the horizontal or final position by means of the pivotal connection between the end leaf 32 and intermediate leaf 33. When the cover is raised, the intermediate leaf 33 is adapted to rest on the horizontal upper surface of an outwardly extending lug 34 formed on the end leaf 30, thus limiting the movement about the pivot connecting the leaves 3|] and 33 and steadyingthe cover when in its open position. Thus, when the cover is opened, it is firmly supported at its inner or attached end.

To firmly support the other end of the cover,

. means is provided on the front wall 2|, which becomes the lower shelf when open, adapted to rest on the fioor, said means being foldable to an out-of-the-way position when the cover is closed. As shown herein, said means comprises a pair of spaced legs 40 hinged to the front wall 2|. Preferably the legs 40 are the two ends of a rod bent to a U-shape, the intermediate portion of which, indicated at 4| (see Fig. 1), is pivotally secured to the cover by lugs 42. To steady the legs 40, a cross member 43 extends therebetween at a point spaced from the pivotal axis, while a foldable brace 44 may be provided to limit the opening movement of the legs and hold them in such position.

With the modified form of hinge shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the cover is moved to and from the open position in the same manner as with the other type of hinge, but the hinge is of simpler construction and to some extent sturdier. ,The modified form of hinge comprises a leaf 53 which is pivoted to the table on a horizontal axis as by a pivot pin having substanwall of the cover and is pivotally connected to the first leaf il in the ordinary manner. In openingthe cover, it is lifted to an upright posi tion by swinging it about the pivotal connection between the two leaves. It may then be tipped forwardly by swinging the leaf 50 about the pin 5|. In order to insure the cover moving to 9. directly forward position, a lug 53 may be formed on the leaf 50 to provide an abutment for the leaf 52, thus limiting the movement of the latter.

To make the machine r y for use, assuming that it is closed, the cover is first raised to the upright position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, such movement being about the pivot connecting the leaf 30 with intermediate leaf 33. When the cover reaches the upright position, the intermediate leaf 33 abuts the lug 34. The cover may then be tipped forwardly to the full-line position shown in Fig. 2, the connection between the intermediate leaf 33 and the end leaf 32 serving as the pivotal axis for such movement. Previous to the forward tipping movement, the legs 40 are moved to their extended position, the foldable brace 44 holding the legs in place. It is to be noted that the movement about the pivotal connection between the leaves 32 and 33 is not limited so that, should the floor where the legs 40 rest, be uneven with the floor where th machine itself stands, the hinge permits the cover to be tipped until the legs 40 contact the floor.

when the cover is in its open position, th front wall 2| and the-rear wall 22 are horizontal and extend forwardly at the right side of the operator. They are thus in a convenient position to serve as shelves for the articles being ironed, the cover being rigidly supported by the legs 40 at one end and the hinge at the other.

' When the cover is closed, the top wall 24 is at a suitable height to serve as a table top. The legs 40 may also be extended as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and thus serve as a towel rack.

The hinge shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, is simple in construction in that it has only two leaves and yet permits swinging movement about the two axes. The pivot pin 5| and the flat face of the leaf 50 provide a rigid bearing while the lug 53 limits the movement of the leaf so that the inner or rear end of the cover when open is firmly supported.

I claim as my invention:

' In combination, a support, a box-like cover for covering the top of the support. hinge means connecting the cover to one end of the support and having a horizontal pivot extending perpendicular to the front edge of the support to permit the cover to be moved to a substantially vertical upright position and another pivot disposed at right angles to said first mentioned pivot and substantially parallel to the front edge of the support, when the cover is in its said upright position, to permit the cover to be tipped ing said cover in a horizontal position when tipped forwardly.

WILl-IAI '1. WHITE. 

